The Cousins Day that Wasn't

This was supposed to be Cousins Day...well, technically yesterday was supposed to be Cousins Day, but it would have spilled over to today, so I decided to go down and have lunch with my mother anyway. (We had to cancel Cousins Day because Kathy was sick.)

I also wanted to stop at the outlet stores in Vacaville, about 20 miles from here. I've been meaning to do that ever since it got close to this trip, but I just hate shopping, so have been putting off making a special trip. Going to see my mother would put me on the freeway heading home and driving right by the outlet stores, so it would be perfect.

I decided to make a video on the way. Possibly one of the most boring videos I've ever made, but I've been wanting to try out the bean-bag kinda camera mount in the car (and I'm pleased that it worked so well!) to try to film American Canyon, one of my favorite brief parts of the trip. So I did it. Watch at your peril. Just remember that I told you it was deadly dull. (Unless you're me and then it's kinda cool).

This is sunflower season and fields everywhere are filled as far as the eye can see with sunflowers. I really love sunflowers, so I had to get off the freeway to take a few pictures.

I got to my mother's around 10:30 or so, so we had a chance to sit and visit. The good news from her is that her ankle wound seems to have just about healed (insert cheer here!). She doesn't have to see the wound nurse weekly any more, which is great. She still need to wear her elastic bandage for another couple of months and the rash that the bandage adhesive caused will take a long time to clear up, but this is probably the most positive news about her ankle since she broke it. She is very happy. Modified rapture.

She lives near a golf club and it has a very nice restaurant where we eat from time to time, and today we went there again (I took a cell phone photo of my mother...not her best look!).

We had a nice lunch (I had coconut shrimp with thai dipping sauce) and then since we both had such a small meal, we indulged in dessert.

(I know several people reading this who will be jealous when I tell them that the golf club's creme brulee is delicious!)

Speaking of food, though, I forgot to mention in the entry about the meeting of the group of people going on the trip to Europe that we were given the one rule that we are expected to follow during the two weeks we will be gone... "one pastry a day," says Jennifer, our tour organizer.

Gosh. Gee. How will I ever be able to do that...? (FWIW, I'm reading that as "at least one pastry a day!")

I left my mother's around 2 and headed for the outlet stores. I'd been toying with getting a new suitcase. The suitcase I bought to go to Australia was too big and Walt's carry-on was too small, so I managed to find one that was juuuuust right, feeling like Goldilocks. I also picked up a one-size-fits-all poncho that all folds up into a neat little pouch. I discovered after I opened it up that it folds up into a neat little pouch. Now I have to figure out how to fold it all back up again into that neat little pouch.

Then, with heavy heart, I headed to the fat ladies' store. I had hoped to get some new pants to replace the ones that are riddled with holes made by puppy claws over the years....and perhaps something a little lighter than the sweat pants I've been living in for years. Do you know how depressing it is when you can't find anything to fit in a fat ladies' store? I didn't find anything in a size I would even attempt to put on, as far as pants went, but I did pick up 3 tops and a jacket that will dress up one of the tops and make even holey black sweat pants look OK.

It ain't good, but it's far better than the last time I stood in a clothing store dressing room. (Also please note that I have had my hair cut, finally...it's so short that the curl all came back, which I like very much.)

So I declared my trip shopping done. Now I just have to pack.